Baby Name Meanings
Names That Mean Wise, Intelligent, and Smart
Across 7 pages
of 7
Neith
Egyptian
"divine mother"
One of the more unusual mythology names for girls , Neith is the name of the Egyptian goddess of home and femininity.
Nestor
Greek
"traveler, voyager"
A wise ruler of legend--his sage advice helped the Greeks win the Trojan War--whose name is a possibility for the adventurous, though related in sound to the dated Lester-Hester family.
Nuha
Arabic or Semitic
"goddess of the sun"
Nuha is an Arabic name meaning wise, and also a name from Semitic mythology of unknown origin, belonging to an ancient sun goddess.
Orinthia
Latin
"to excite, to stir the mind"
A pretty, feminissima name, more distinctive than Cynthia. George Bernard Shaw used it for a character in his play The Apple Cart, about which it is said 'Orinthia is a name full of magic for me.'
Osbert
English
"divinely brilliant"
Some cutting-edge parents might revive Osbert as a substitute for Oscar. We like the "divinely brilliant" meaning. Cool or terminally nerdy? Your call. Osbert Sitwell, born Francis Osbert Sacheverell…
Pallas
Greek
"youth, young woman"
An overlooked name from Greek mythology, Pallas is both an epithet for the goddess of wisdom and a name in its own right, borne by a daughter of the sea god Triton who was raised alongside the…
Phoebus
Greek
"shining, brilliant"
One of the names of the sun god Apollo, this is better known in its feminine form, Phoebe. Rarely used as a given name, perhaps owing to the clunky end sound, it might work as a unique alternative to…
Prudence
Virtue name
"caution"
Prudence, like Hope and Faith, is a Puritan virtue name with a quiet charm and sensitivity that is slowly returning to favor, though it hasn't yet registered on the charts. The White Album Beatles…
Prue
Short form of Prudence, English virtue name
"caution"
After a long time in limbo, Prudence is now so clunky it'a cool, and it's starting to make a comeback, along with other Puritan virtue names like Mercy, Patience, and Constance. Its short form, Prue,…
Quain
French
"clever, quick"
Truly offbeat, but just on the brink of outré.
Rafiki
Swahili Arabic
"friend, companion"
With spiky and energetic sounds and an earthy feel, Rafiki is a rhythmic Swahili name, related to the Arabic Rafiq. The name was spotlighted in Disney's The Lion King (1994), in which it is borne by…
Rainier
French, German
"wise army"
A royal, European name, and a relation of Rayner and Ragnar, Rainier is also associated with the majestic mountain in Washington state. Traditionally pronounced as REH-NYEH in French and as ray-NEER…
Redmond
Irish variation of Raymond
"wise protector"
We love this partly for purely personal reasons, since it is one of our surnames. We used it as the middle name of a son –and it can make a good first choice too. Redmond – also found as Reamann or…
Rishi
Sanskrit
"sage"
Wise, with vivacity.
Sabino
Latin
"wise"
This name of a famous ancient Roman jurist is sometimes heard in the Hispanic community.
Saga
Swedish word name
"story; seeress"
Apt name for a little drama queen with a long future ahead of her. Saga is a Top 30 girls' name in Sweden. Saga was the Norse goddess of poetry, storytelling, and history. She was a prophetess — able…
Sana
Arabic
"mountaintop, splendid, brilliant"
One of the most easily imported Arabic names.
Savant
English word name
"learned person"
A new, hyper-intelligent word name that first appeared on the charts in 2008.
Seanan
Modern form of Senán or elaboration of Sean, Irish
"little old one; God is gracious"
Seanan might be considered an Anglicized form of Seanán, itself a modern form of Senán, an Old Irish name meaning "little old one", giving it a wise and ancient feel. The name of a 6th century saint…
Senan
Irish
"little old one"
St. Senán was a famed 6th-century monk, who founded a monastery on Inis Cathaigh whose ruins can still be seen today. Legend has it that before he could found the monastery, he had to banish a great…